Golf tee



p 30, 5 M. c. F lERcE 2,612,373

GOLF TEE Filed Aug. 22, 1946 inventor MAURICE 0. PIECE $0; 0, 3 M Attamey Patented Sept. 30, 1952 GOLF TEE- I '1 urice campbeu Pierce, Madison, Wis. iA'p plication August 22,1946, Serial No. 692,183

.3 Claims. 01. ads-+33) My; present invention, as-is clearly shownin I the accompanying descriptions and drawings,- pertains to novel golf tees adapted foriready-attachment to the "shafts of golfclubs or the rims of golf bags, 'wherebyimproved devices in this category are provided to the golfer as a convenience to obviate theawkward necessity of storing-and carrying them in pockets, or special holders. Theprevalent .practicaof carrying golf clubs and tees separately has many disadvantages as compared'to their attachedsto'rage. 'A few of such disadvantages are enumerated as follows: (1) Carrying inconvenience, (2) damage to wearing apparel, (3) dirt transported-into pockets,

(4) injury to players body and hands, (5) unnecessary delay. v

Golf tees now in use have one or more of the following limitations for convenient and ready use:

1. They are not designed or intended for attachment. and carriage by self-gripping engagement with the shaft of a golfclub or the rim of agGIf bag. I

2. They are formed for storage in pockets or special accessory holders which in the case of Women 'players are not always. available when wanted; 1

3. The carrying of tees in-the players pocket may result in tearing the same or injury to the players body and-also is unsanitary.

4. Much time is wasted in removing tees from pockets especially if they become caught on other articles therein or the players hands are gloved or sticky with perspiration or stiff from cold.

5. Prevailing tees, whether preformed or intended for shaping from blanks are limited and suitable for placement either on the surface of the ground on the one hand or for anchoring in the ground on the other. The peg tee, for instance, cannot be thrust sufficiently deep in hard ground to properly support the ball nor is it effective in muddy or sandy ground. The presently used surface tees Without anchoring projections will not balance on thick springy sod and they are not intended or suitable for anchorage in hard ground lying beneath the sod.

One object of this invention is to provide golf tees which are not hampered with the above named and other limitations; tees of great convenience and versatile utility, designed to saddle readily, clasp snugly and release quickly at will over the shafts of standard golf clubs or the rims of customary golf bags with the use of one hand alone.

Another object ofthe invention is to eliminate the necessity for various holders and devicesfor storing tees by providing a self-attaching tee;

- A further object oftheinvention. is to provide I a golf tee suitable for securelysupporting aigolf ball at the desired intermediate elevations, above the surface of the 'footing, existing on the 31 8.

stations; tees that will balance under the'weight of a balljon hard, uneven, ,bald surfaces OIj'DIl soft sand or mud: teesthat areatj the sam time designed and-suitable for thrusting in theground that lies beneath thick grass or other springy vegetation. My

Secondary objects are as follows:

To,provide means whereby the smallest 'p'os- .sible and mostaccessiblespaceis occupied in the storage and carrying of 'tees, combined with utmost readiness for,;speedy; -action,.,simplicity, reliability, light weight, lack of resistance to follow-through of driver stroke, safety from" injury to body and'clothes; cleanlinesavquick placement and retrieval of-tee, with consequent speeding up of other flight groups and. ;better 1 revenues for golf courses. 1

With the above and other ObJ BGtS'ln' view, which will appear as the de'scriptionproceeds, the invention resides in novel construction, roombination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, itabeing under.- stood that such changes in theprecise embodiment of the herein described invention may be made as come within the scope of the claimsw; In the accompanying drawings are several illustrations of the physical embodiment of the present invention, constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof.

Figure 1 shows two tapered tees, comprised of gapped or longitudinally slotted sleeves or tubes of suitable diametered, resilient or expandible and contractible material, the lower unit clasped about the wound joining of the head and shaft of a golf club 2. The body of the tee I has cut away segments 4 to effect ground contactpoints or tapered projections or anchoring feet 5. The gap or slot 6 coincides with the deepest out point of one of the cut away spaces so that the lower end of saidslot has a flaring mouth which is of material assistance in the placement of the, tee in its carrying position,

In Fig. l the upper tee is pictured in the process of attachment'or removal onto the shaft 3; I being facilitated by the widened gap 6 since the flaring mouth at the bottom edge of the slot 6 is 3 the'first part to be pressed against the shaft 3 thereby expanding th sleeve or tube so that its slot 6 isopened up sufiiciently for the tee to engage over the shaft and then contract about the same through substantially its entire length.

Figure 2 represents the tapered tee with side walls I, cut away spaces 4, ground contact points and gapG. The .te rests lightly on the play-' ing surface preparatory to perching a golf ball.

Figure 3 illustrates the tapered tee thrust slightly downward into the ground to lower the ball seat, while the diameter is increased by widening the gap. A golf ball 8 is supported in playing position.

Figure 4 shows the gapped or longitudinally slotted sleeve or tube with untapered side walls I, contact points 5, cut out spaces 4, and gap or slot 6. It has been slid onto the lower portion of a golf club hand grip 1. The tee for hand grip attachment is naturally of somewhat greater diameter th'anro'ne intended to fit the lower part of the shaft.

Figure 5 is the untapered tee of greater diam- I eter placed upright" in ball supporting position.

Figure 6 shows two untapered tees, the unit at v I the left in process of detachment from the upper extremity of a golf club hand grip I.

"procedure is facilitated by means of the cut away spaces 4 and the gap 6. The tee unit at the extreme right in Figure 6 is clasped about the up per end of the-hand grip for convenient storage This and carrying. I claim:

v 1. As a new article, of manufacture, a golf tee comprising a hollow substantially tubular re-.

silient member having a wide lengthwise extending slotpermitting considerable contraction and further expansion of its circumference to provide varying circumferential area-son which to supportagolf ball at Varying heights from the ground and provided with ground piercing teeth to hold the tee in the desired circumferentially adjusted position 7 2. As a new article of manufacture, a golf tee for self-gripping engagement with rounded portions of golf equipment such as the shaft of a golf club or the rounded rim of a golf bag comprising a hollow substantially tubular resilient member, of contractible and expandible varying diameters and having a slot extending lengthwise .thereof and of an initial diameter to snugly engage, throughout. substantially its entire length,

with said rounded portion, said slot having a flaring opening at one end to facilitate expansion of said tee over the rounded portion as it is pressed against the same, said tee after the separation of its slotted sides by said rounded portion contracting into gripping engagement with said rounded portion and having a ground piercing tooth in which the flaring of the slot at the base of the tee forms a side of said tooth;

3. As a new article of manufacture, a golf tee for self-gripping engagement with rounded portions of golf equipment such as the shaft of a golf club or the rounded rim of a golf bag comprisinga hollow substantially tubular resilient member, of contractible and expandible varying diameters and having a slot extending lengthwise thereof and of an initial diameter to snugly engage throughout substantially its entire length, with said rounded portion, said slot having a flaring opening at one end to facilitate expansion of said tee over the rounded portion as it is pressed against the'same, said tee after the separation of its slotted sides by said rounded portion contractin into gripping engagement with said rounded portion and having ground piercing teeth in which the flaring of the slot at the base of the tee forms the sides of spaced ground piercing teeth and the side of the tee opposite to the slot at the basei-s provided with a recess alined with the flared portion of the slot to further facilitate expansion of said tee over said rounded portion.

' MAURICE C. PIERCE.

I REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ,file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,446,144 Adams Feb. 20, 1923 1,520,113 Bloom Dec. 23, 1924 1,535,181 Sawyer Apr. 28, 1925 1,560,453 Wiese Nov. 3, 1925 1,635,376 McIlv-ain'e July 12, 1927 1,709,546 Stanton Apr. 6, 1929 1,890,388 Kramlik Dec. 6, 1932 2,073,328 Wasserlein Mar. 9, 1937 2,177,970 Wettlaufer Oct. 31, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 11,967 Great Britain 1910 

